What is MATURE? The MATURE project will address the training needs of practitioners in formal and non- formal adult education in respect of reaching, engaging.

• What is MATURE?

• The MATURE project will address the training needs of practitioners in formal and non-formal adult education in respect of reaching, engaging and motivating older adults who do not readily participate in learning.

• The MATURE project arises from our concern about the practical challenges of implementing learning that can claim to be for non-participant, disadvantaged older people.

• MATURE will provide: - – Content and advice for face to face teacher

training– Units of online CPD training for self access, and– A booklet for intermediary agencies working with

older people

MATURE’s target groups are: -– Professional & volunteer teachers– Trainers & managers in adult education– Individuals & organisations from outside

education who work on behalf of older adults and/or those who are disadvantaged

– Organisations in a position to mainstream and multiply project products in Europe

Why later life learning is important?Why do we need MATURE?

• In 2010 the population of the 27 European member states was

331,000,000• In 2020 it is estimated to be

340,100,000• By 2050 it is estimated to be

346,800,000

• In 2010 of the European member states population

18.3% was aged 65 or over• In 2010 it is estimated that there will be

21.1% aged 65 or over• By 2050 this percentage is estimated to be

29.6% aged 65 or over.

• So!• In 2010 the number of people within the EU

aged 65 or over was60,570,000

• By 2020 the number of people aged 65 or over is estimated to be

71,760,000• And by 2050?

102,650,000

• And how many of those 60,570,000 people aged 65 or over were engaged in learning activities in 2010?

• We do not know?• The Commission has traditionally only

collected participation data up to age 64! But only VERY recently has raised the upper age limit to 74!

• But engagement in learning activities has health, social and economic benefits.

• The evidence tells us this. • Older learners’ stories and testimonies

confirm this and some European policies further enhance the arguments for more, better and different later life learning opportunities.

• The what statistics do we have?• In 2009 less than 5% of adults in the 27 EU states

aged between 55 and 64 had participated in education and training during the 4 weeks prior to be surveyed. [Eurostat]

• In 2012 4.5% of adults in the 27 EU states aged between 55 & 64 and 4.5% of those aged between 50 & 74 had participated in education and training during the last 4 weeks. [Eurostat]

• So –• Participation in education and learning

decreases with age. [Eurostat and NIACE]• A guestimate is that less than 4% of adults in

Europe aged 65 and over are engaged in education and training. Only 1 in every 25.

• In 2012 that represents 2,422,800 people aged 65 or over!

• Which means approximately 58,000,000 are

not engaged in education and learning.

• 24 out every 25 people aged 65 or over within the 27 European member states is NOT engaged in education, training or learning.

• We know a lot about the 4% of people aged 65 or over who are current or recent learners.

• We have their testimonies to the value of their experiences.

• We have research evidence of the wider health, social and economic benefits of that learning.

• Just because we know what 4% wants does not mean to say that we know what the other 96% want or need.

• That is where MATURE is important.• We wish to reach some of that 96%, not by

building on the stories and research evidence of the 4% but considering the reasons why older adults come into education.

• Europe is festooned with projects aiming to reach ‘non’ older learners – with varying degrees of success. Those initiatives have not been effectively analysed – but the ForAge network hopes to make that task easier.

• www.foragenetwork.eu

• Few initiatives focus on the teacher or the trainer.

• MATURE does.• But MATURE recognises that the

teacher/trainer is not the most important agency/individual on that older person’s learning journey and adventure.

• How do those 96% of people aged 65 or over reach us?

• Through intermediaries?– Family– Health professionals– Friends, colleagues and neighbours– Information, help, advice and guidance agencies– Role models.

So: - From your own experiences - • How can learning providers

collaborate with intermediaries and vice versa?

• In today’s world of financial constraints and austerity and where the evidence of over 10 years of Grundtvig funding have revealed a wide range of agencies – not just main stream education providers attempting to work with potential older learners it is obvious that any approaches MUST be collaborative.

Therefore – again from your experiences: -

• What areas of teaching and learning practice and intermediary practice might be influenced by cooperative work?

• Your responses will help us as we complete all our tasks.

• http://matureproject.eu

• What else can you?

• Help us disseminate our products.• Help us to assess their effectiveness (talk to

any of our team about how you can do that please)

• Attend our closing conference in Hamburg in 2014.

• USE our materials.

Thank you

Jim SoulsbyUniversity of Leicester.

[email protected]